Prospective smartphone buyers around the globe would be eager to lay their hands on the world's fastest handset yet, as Samsung Galaxy S4 release date draws closer. The coveted smartphone is expected to ship in two versions: Exynos 5 Octa and Snapdragon 600 processor variants.

Just a few days ago, the regular Galaxy S4 I9500 (Exynos 5 Octa) received its first rooting package via CF-Auto-Root for the official test firmware XXUAMC6. Now, the quad-core variant Galaxy S4 I9505 joins the party with the release of CF-Auto-Root package for the official test firmware XXUAMD2.

Note: The root package and the instructions provided in this tutorial are restricted to the Galaxy S4 (I9505) only and will not work on the I9500 model.

CF-Auto-Root Package Details

The root package is developed and released by popular XDA recognised developer Chainfire. The XXUAMD2 test firmware has been debugged to fix the random reboot issue that was rampant on the Galaxy S4 I9505 until now. Head over to the official source page for further details.

Note: The rooting software is not tested on any other firmware except for XXUAMD2. Attempting to install this package on incompatible firmware and/or devices may inadvertently brick or damage the device permanently. IBTimes UK will not be held liable if the device is damaged during or after root installation. Users must proceed at their own risk.

Pre-requisites

Verify that the correct USB drivers are installed for Galaxy S4 I9505 on the computer (download USB drivers)

Back up important data and settings on phone using one of the recommended custom recovery tools such as ClockworkMod (CWM) or TWRP, as it creates a complete image of the existing phone setup.

Make sure that the phone has at least 80 per cent battery charge to prevent unexpected device shutdown (due to battery drain) during firmware installation, as this may inadvertently brick or damage the device.

Ensure that USB Debugging mode is enabled on the phone navigating to Settings > Developer Options (if the device is running on Android 4.0 or later) or Settings > Applications > Development (if the phone is running on Android 2.3 or earlier). Otherwise, if the device is running Android 4.2, perform the following steps:

Go to Settings > About Phone

Scroll down to the bottom of thescreenand select Build Number

Tap the phone's Build Number seven times to unlock or reveal the hidden Developer Options under Settings. Then select the checkbox to enable USB Debugging mode under Settings > Developer Options.

Double check to see that the device is factory unlocked (not locked to a specific carrier) with CWM recovery installed on it.

Step 3 - Power off the phone and boot it into Download Mode. To do so, press and hold Volume Down and Home buttons together, while simultaneously tapping the Power button until the construction Android robot icon with a triangle appears on screen. Hit the Power button again to progress into Download Mode.

Step 4 - Launch ODIN on computer and connect the phone to it while the phone is still in Download Mode.

Step 5 - When the phone connects successfully, one of the ID: COM boxes will indicate yellow with the corresponding COM port number. This step may be time-consuming and take about five minutes. So, leave it alone.

Step 6 - Choose the files that need to be flashed or installed on the phone, which can be found among the extracted files in Step 1.

Click the 'PDA' checkbox and choose the file 'CF-Auto-Root-jflte-jfltexx-gti9505.zip'.

Step 7 - In ODIN, enable Auto Reboot and F. Reset Time options, and leave all other options at their default values.

Step 8 - Hit Start button in ODIN and the root installation process will begin. It would take just a few minutes to complete.

Step 9 - Once the root installation completes, the phone will reboot into Recovery Mode automatically and install the root package files. At this point, the device's ID: COM box should also indicate green (it means the root installation is successful).

Step 10 - Finally, when the home-screen boots-up, just disconnect the phone from computer.

Troubleshooting:

If the device fails to boot into Recovery Mode automatically (as given in Step 9) and root the device, then repeat the entire procedure again.

If the issue still persists, just re-do the entire tutorial, but ensure that the "Auto Reboot" option is NOT checked in ODIN. Then after root installation (Step 9), do the following:

Remove the battery to switch off the phone forcefully.

Now boot (turn ON your phone) the phone into Recovery Mode manually by pressing and holding Volume Up, Home and Power buttons together. This will initiate the root installation process once again.

Samsung Galaxy S4 I9505 is now rooted on official Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean firmware. Check for the SuperSU app in the phone's apps list to verify if root installation is working.

Alternatively, download and install Root Checker App from Google Play Store to confirm if root access is installed and working correctly.